Chapter 77

I awake with a groan and pull myself out of bed. I rush to the bathroom pressing a hand to my stomach, as a particularly fierce wave of morning sickness washes over me. I look up and pray to the Goddess that these early symptoms will pass soon.

Once the nausea has subdued enough to stand, I wash and dress quickly, knowing that I have to oversee the new recruits running drills today. I arrive at the field just in time and slightly out of breath.

I watch as the trainees work through the drill rotation, taking notes and calling out corrections when necessary. I feel a sense of pride as I watch them move around the field. These new recruits are doing well.

I approach one of the recruits to adjust his posture, but I move to quickly, becoming lightheaded. I stand there for a moment trying to blink the stars out of my eyes, when another guard sees me struggling and walks over.

“Everything alright?”

I blink at him as my vision comes back into focus. “Yeah. I’m just not feeling my best. I think I need to go see the healer. Tell Aronson to step in for me.”

Before he can ask any more questions I am hurrying off the field. I need to lie down.

Once I am out of sight, I slow my pace, using the wall to guide me. I make my way back into the palace and am halfway to my quarters when I spot Bianca across the corridor.

“Shit.” I stand up straighter, doing my best to look unaffected, but she’s already spotted something off.

She approaches, her usual smile carefully in place. “Are you feeling okay, Ember? You look unwell.”

Her eyes narrow as she speaks. I don’t say anything, just nod my head as I fight the nausea clawing its way up my stomach.

She looks at me with faux concern, but I can see the suspicion in her eyes. Bianca may be shallow, but she’s not stupid. She can tell something is wrong.

I wait for her to say something else, but she just shakes her head and huffs past me. I look after her. I should be relieved but something doesn’t sit right.

Bianca

Bianca pushes past Ember her mind whirling. Kaine admitted that he had met someone in his office, the night Bianca had Lila dose his tea. Kaine still thinks it was her, and she is determined to keep it that way.

Bianca starts in the direction of her quarters, unnerved. She had worried that Ember had been the one in Kaine’s office last night but couldn’t prove it. She had tried to provoke Ember into admitting it, but Ember gave her nothing.

She thinks about Ember’s strange behavior and decides she needs to talk to Kaine. She pivots, and heads in the direction of Kaine’s office instead. When she arrives she knocks gently on the door.

After a moment a deep voice calls out, “Come in.”

Bianca opens the door and takes her usual seat perched on Kaine’s desk. “I’ve missed you so much today, so I decided to pop in see you. We could all use a distraction now and then.”

Kaine eyes her dubiously. Much of his coldness had worn off since he decided to move forward with their engagement, but he never seemed quite at ease with Bianca around.

He looks at her and frowns. “Bianca, I’m not sure if I have the time right now.”

Bianca flutters her eyelashes. “I know I’m sorry I just can’t help thinking about you, about us, that night in your office.”

Kaine shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “I apologize again for what came over me.”

“Don’t. I had a great time.” Bianca grins wickedly. “I was actually hoping we could talk about it.”

Kaine raises his eyebrows, surprised.

Bianca runs her hand up Kaine’s chest, lowering her eyes. “I was thinking about how good you felt and maybe this is silly but…” She hesitates, pretending to be shy.

“I was just wondering if you enjoyed yourself too? What was your favorite part.”

Bianca does her best to hide her discomfort as she waits for Kaine’s response. It is clear that he’s uncomfortable with the question, but Bianca just looks at him expectantly.

After a beat he says, “I told you, I was mostly out of control that night. I know I… enjoyed myself, but I really don’t remember too many details.”

Bianca looks back at him. “None?”

Kaine starts to shake his head, but stops. “Actually, I do remember something. Your hair, long and auburn, as it draped over us.”

Bianca freezes, anger rising within her as she realizes that her suspicions had been true. The only other person she knew with hair that resembled her own was Ember.

She thinks about Ember’s strange behavior, and how often she seemed almost sick. She does the math. Could Ember be pregnant?

Bianca smiles at Kaine, barely containing her growing rage. “I’m sorry to bother you with this while you’re working. I’ll see myself out.”

As she leaves, her mind starts thinking about all of the implications of Ember’s pregnancy. What if she tried to leverage it against Kaine in order to get him to call of the engagement? Ember said that she had no interest in Kaine, but if they slept together, she had to have been lying.

She thinks of how even if Ember does keep silent, if she gives birth people are going to start to wonder who the father is. What if it got out?

Bianca takes a deep breath to quiet the questions racing in her mind. It doesn’t matter because she is going to do something.

Without breaking stride she changes course, not stopping until she finds the grand library that Lila usually frequents around this time of day. Bianca does her best to hide her look of distaste as she approaches her friend.

“Lila, I’m so glad I found you. I’ve had the worst time and I could just really use a friend today.”

Lila looks up from the books she’s reading. “Bianca this is a library. Surely there is a better time and place for this.”

Bianca looks at her friend, startled. Although the slight was minor, Lila had never pushed back against her like this.”

“I’m sorry, I know you’re reading, but I didn’t know where else to go.”

Bianca notes Lila’s sigh as she puts her book down and sits up straighter. “Why don’t you talk to Kaine, or perhaps your sister?”

“I couldn’t to them with this. Only you.”

Lila sighs again.

“Are you okay?” Bianca asks. “You seem off today.”

“I’m fine, Bianca. I’m just trying to read.”

“Wanting to read has never stopped you from helping me before. What’s wrong?”

Lila hesitates for a moment before taking a deep breath. “I’m tired of you pushing me around all the time and manipulating me into doing things that I’m not comfortable with. You had me slip something in my brother’s tea, Bianca. I’m over it.”

Bianca stills. With the Captain gone and Lila refusing to help her, she was alone in the palace. She would have to risk implicating herself in any plan moving forward.

Her blood pressure rises at the thought, but she nods. “Thank you for your honesty,” she says before standing and leaving the library.

Ember

Bianca’s attention earlier had been unsettling, but I now that there’s nothing I can do. For now, I need to focus on my goal of solving the Chantarelle case.

I think about the best way to go about it and decide that another visit to the estate is warranted. They had been warned the last time we were coming. We need to find a way to surprise them.

If we’re lucky we may even find the former lord there. If we can find him in violation of his exile we will have cause to hold him and question him further. That would change everything.